rsv Romans:10:1-21 SEEK
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Brethren ,
my heart '
s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved .
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I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God ,
but it is not enlightened .
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For ,
being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God ,
and seeking to establish their own ,
they did not submit to God '
s righteousness .
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For Christ is the end of the law ,
that every one who has faith may be justified .
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Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness which is based on the law shall live by it .
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But the righteousness based on faith says ,
Do not say in your heart , "
Who will ascend into heaven ?" (
that is ,
to bring Christ down )
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or "
Who will descend into the abyss ?" (
that is ,
to bring Christ up from the dead ).
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But what does it say ?
The word is near you ,
on your lips and in your heart (
that is ,
the word of faith which we preach );
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because ,
if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead ,
you will be saved .
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For man believes with his heart and so is justified ,
and he confesses with his lips and so is saved .
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The scripture says , "
No one who believes in him will be put to shame ."
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For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek ;
the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him .
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For , "
every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved ."
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But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed ?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard ?
And how are they to hear without a preacher ?
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And how can men preach unless they are sent ?
As it is written , "
How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news !"
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But they have not all obeyed the gospel ;
for Isaiah says , "
Lord ,
who has believed what he has heard from us ?"
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So faith comes from what is heard ,
and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ .
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But I ask ,
have they not heard ?
Indeed they have ;
for "
Their voice has gone out to all the earth ,
and their words to the ends of the world ."
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Again I ask ,
did Israel not understand ?
First Moses says , "
I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation ;
with a foolish nation I will make you angry ."
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Then Isaiah is so bold as to say , "
I have been found by those who did not seek me ;
I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me ."
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But of Israel he says , "
All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people ."